NAS WILL PERFORM ILLMATIC IN ITS ENTIRETY AT COACHELLA + NEW DOCUMENTARY ON ILLMATIC

"Time is Illmatic, keep static like wool fabric/pack a 4 matic, then crack ya whole cabbage"-Nas on "Life's a Bi*ch"

(AllHipHop News) Nas fully understands the historical scope of Illmatic's impact and is beginning to craft a 20th anniversary appropriate for such a seminal album. According to a press release from Legacy Recordings, Nas will release a 20th anniversary edition of Illmatic with unreleased songs and remixes.

The 20th anniversary re-release of Illmatic, entitled Illmatic XX will be released on April 15th and will be a double disc with the digitally remastered original album on one CD and 10 unreleased and remixed tracks on the other. Nas acknowledged the importance of Illmatic to his career:

With Illmatic, I didn't think about it. I just did it. I believe everybody has good instincts. Now I'm a man from that past and I'm supremely grateful. There's a Nigerian proverb 'What is past is prologue'. I'm here today because of Illmatic.

Nas also announced that he will be performing the entire Illmatic album on tour this year, including at his scheduled performance at Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival April 12th and 19th.

In conjunction with the 20th anniversary Illmatic campaign is the upcoming 2014 release of a feature film documentary about the making of Illmatic entiteld "Time is Illmatic". According to the official website of the film, Time is Illmatic will not only chronicle the making of the album but also Nas' father, Olu Dara and his musical legacy along with "the social conditions and environmental influences that contributed to Nas' worldview".

Here's the tracklist for the unreleased/remix songs on the 2nd CD of the 20th anniversary edition of Illmatic:

I'm A Villain (previously unreleased)

The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR October 28, 1993 (previously unreleased freestyle)

Halftime (Butcher Remix)

It Ain't Hard To Tell (Remix)(promo single)

One Love (LG Main Mix)

Life's A Bitch (Arsenal Mix)(promo single)

One Love (One L Main Mix)

The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)

It Ain't Hard To Tell (The Stink Mix)(UK single)

It Ain't Hard To Tell (The Laidback Remix)(UK single)

Fans can pre-order Illmatic XX at iTunes and Amazon.

Check out part of the interview and freestyle from Nas' appearance on Stretch and Bobbito Show in '93 below: